10 Children’s Books That Will Make Your Kids Feel Absolutely Loved
One morning a while back, my toddler asked me to read her a book. My mental to-do list screamed at me to go-go-go – load dishes in the dishwasher, pay that bill that’s been sitting on the counter for a week, clean up the colony of crumbs under the breakfast table, and on and on.
But I stopped and looked into her big eyes – eyes hoping for a small moment of connection with me but expecting me to say, No, I’m too busy right now.
So I took a deep breath to quiet the to-do list swirling in my head, and I said yes.
She immediately pitter-pattered off to pick out a book, then met me at the couch with a grin of anticipation and seven big picture books in her little arms.
Then She Surprised Me
We cozied up next to each other on the couch, and I grabbed the first book on the stack: one that just so happens to be a favorite in our house and one the kids ask for often.
Typically, when we sit down to read together, Charlie will turn to the next page before I’ve read the current page. Or if she’s feeling extra antsy, she’ll get the next book and hand it to me before we’ve finished the first book. And then some days, she wiggles off the couch mid-book and runs off to play with Magna-Tiles or climb on the dining room table instead.
But as I read the book that day, Charlie sat perfectly still. A miracle for my rambunctious toddler.
Her rapt attention inspired me to take my read-aloud game to the next level:
- When the book said “kissing you,” I gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
- When the book said “hugging you,” I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close.
- And when the book said “bugging you,” I gave her a gentle tickle on her side and was rewarded with the best sound in the world: toddler giggles.
Related: How to Connect With Your Child: The Magic of the 5:1 Ratio {Printable}
But It Didn’t End There
When I got to the last page, I closed the book and looked at Charlie, expecting her to grab the next book and hand it to me like she always does.
“Can you read it again?” she asked. Those same big eyes, hoping for a yes but expecting a no.
I smiled. “Sure.”
Usually, reading the same book over and over makes me want to gouge out my eyes. But that time through the book, I took a peek at her face every page or two.
Glowing.
In that moment, that particular book – or rather, me reading that book to her – made my child feel absolutely loved.
Midway through the second read-through, my preschooler climbed up on the other side of me on the couch and listened in.
At the end, both girls were smiling, their faces lit up with the love they felt.
Related: 150 Family Conversation Starters That Will Unlock Your Child’s Heart
A Big “Aha” Moment
We’ve always been big readers in our family. Every Saturday, we visit the library and check out at least 20 new picture books. All three of our kids love being read to.
So I knew that reading to your kids was a great way to slow down and connect. And the beauty of connection is that it leads to more cooperation,1Markham, L. (2021, May 24). 10 Habits to Strengthen Your Relationship With Your Child. Aha! Parenting. which means my patience isn’t tested at every turn.
But it took me nine years of parenting to finally understand how powerful the right book can be for making you and your child feel completely connected.
While the “aha” moment settled in and took root in my mind, my 9-year-old walked up behind us and leaned forward to rest her elbows on the couch.
“Can you read it again?” she asked.
I smiled and flipped back to the start.
Related: 7 Best Family Bonding Games That Will Help You Reconnect Quickly {Printable}
A Quest for the Best Children’s Books About Love
Later that day, I scoured our shelves for picture books about love where I’ve noticed my kids beaming after we finish reading.
Before that morning, I’d never made the mental connection between certain books and the reaction I saw in my kids that day. But after connecting the dots, I realized I’d already seen that reaction before. I just was too busy or too distracted to notice it.
On our shelves, we had a handful of gems. But I wanted to make a comprehensive list of all the best picture books about love that will make you and your child feel connected. The picture books that will make your child feel absolutely loved.
So I set off on a research project to find the most special children’s books about love. Instead of checking out 20 books a week at the library, we checked out 40 to 50. And as I read each new potential gem to my kids, I watched for their reaction.
10 Picture Books About Love That Will Make Your Child Feel Absolutely Loved
This book list is a true labor of love from our family to yours. Read one of these children’s books about love to get an extra dose of connection with your child.
And the best part? These picture books about love are so well written that you’ll enjoy reading them, and you won’t even mind reading them three times in a row.†
Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Picture Books, Endorsed by Kids And Parents
1. That’s Me Loving You
If you can get only one of these children’s books about love, get this one because it has magic woven into each page. It’s especially perfect for kids who have separation anxiety when you’re away from each other during the day or if you travel for work.
2. No Matter What
I sucked in a quick breath, and she looked up. Her eyes met mine, and she said, “I’m sorry, Mommy. I made a mess.”
By some miracle, I was able to keep my temper at bay while we cleaned it up together. Then after we were done, I scooped Charlie up into a hug. The book came back to me, and whispered into her ear, “I love you no matter what. Even if you squeeze toothpaste on the floor.”
And ever since we got No Matter What, on the days I do get super frustrated with the kids, they always smooth things over with me later saying, “I love you no matter what. Even when you get frustrated with me.”
3. The Wonderful Things You Will Be
And here’s a bonus: The Wonderful Things You Will Be doesn’t play into silly gender stereotypes that tell boys and girls what they can and cannot do. For example, it’s a boy having the tea party, a boy using the sewing machine, a girl on the tree swing, and a girl as a superhero.
4. You Made Me a Mother
You Made Me a Mother is perfect to read aloud to your first child, but all my kids love to cuddle up next to me for this book.
5. Silly Wonderful You
Just like with No Matter What, this book delivers the message that we love our little ones even when they make mistakes or drive us a little bananas.
6. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
And when you get to the last page of Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, be sure to follow the book’s lead and give your little one kisses!
7. If I Could Keep You Little
The sweet text in If I Could Keep You Little reminds me to slow down and enjoy my kids when they’re little because it really does move so fast.
8. The I Love You Book
They love the “I love you when…” repetition in The I Love You Book. When the book is over, we always have fun making up our own “I love you when…” phrases – sweet and silly!
9. You’re All My Favorites
You’re All My Favorites would be an especially great fit for your child if you’re expecting another little one to join your family soon.
10. I Wish You More
My personal favorite line in I Wish You More is next to a picture of a child tying her shoes: “I wish you more can than knot.” Then at the end of the book, my kids love when I make up new “I wish you more…” phrases, like “I wish you more ladybugs than ants.” or “I wish you more frosting than cupcake.” or “I wish you more Kleenex than boogers.”
Bonus: How to Make Your Child Feel Loved Every Day
Research shows that in happy relationships, you need a ratio of five positive interactions to every one negative interaction. This is called the Magic 5:1 Ratio.
In other words, after a negative interaction with your child, you need to reconnect through a positive moment or two so you can close the distance between you and your child. Because if you don’t close that gap and your child feels a lack of connection, that will lead to more unnecessary power struggles and less cooperation from your child when you ask them to do something.
But unfortunately, when your brain is flooded with stress hormones in the moment, it’s incredibly difficult to think of something fun and sweet to do with your child so you can reconnect.
Which is why I created these Family Connection Cards, based on the science of what actually works when you need to reconnect. These cards remove the mental burden of figuring out how to reconnect with your child so you can just focus on nurturing your bond with your child. At any point during your day, you can pick a card to get a quick and simple idea for connecting.
And in just 10 minutes a day, these powerful cards will make your child feel absolutely loved and stop the power struggles caused by disconnection.
Before you go, get my FREE cheat sheet: 75 Positive Phrases Every Child Needs to Hear
Your Turn
What are your favorite picture books about love? Share in a comment below!
Great idea for a list! Some โfeel lovedโ favorites at our house: Counting Kisses, When a Dad Says I Love You, and Snuggle Puppy.
Thanks for the great list. My favorite is Love You Forever. I cried the first several times I read it and I am not normally a crier.
Thanks for these list. It is important we make our kids feel loved.
Thank you for this list. It is so important that our children do feel loved! Thank you for what you do, because I am sure, and I know.. that is mattering, and really helping people. Because our children DO deserve to feel loved and cherished! This too is also one of my “missions” in life to remind people how much their children are “needing” (and are deserving) that love, attention, and affection from us. So again thanks for this!
And again, thank you for all that you do. Okay! Thanks and God bless! Christie
Ahhh definitely The Invisible String is our favorite. I added all your books on my wishlist for our love shelf! Thanks! ?
Oh my goodness what a great blog! I love when you made the point that reading helps you connect to your children and more connection leads to more cooperation! So true!! I teach an evidence-based parenting curriculum on reading for parents with children birth to five and Iโm telling parents this all the time we say โbuilding a bond with booksโ. I love your list of beautiful books but the research really shows itโs about letting the child take the lead and giving them choices, but mostly itโs about all those sweet engaging moments you had with your child during โbook cuddlingโ time. Whether itโs one of these special books about love or a childโs favorite dinosaur story (or now for my 10 year old itโs a chapter book) reading with your child is magical!
Love these. Adding them to my list. My favorite is โYou Are My I Love You.โ I choke up reading it every time.
Love you forever- Robert Munsch
Yes this one!!!!
Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You – gets me every time. Also, The Giving Tree – makes both my daughter and I shed tears when we read it together.
“Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You” and “The Giving Tree” – they get me every time!
I love the book I Love You, Stinky Face!
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. Great for kids nervous about the first day of school.
You Are My Sunshine, Owl Babies, The Kissing Hand, Bill Martinโs Goodnight Miss Kitten
Before You Sleep by Benji Bennett. Gets me every time! Always lots of hugs after reading this one.
You are here for a reason. Nancy Tillman books get me every time
Just discovered: You Can Never Run Out of Love. Helen Docherty and Ali Lye. Kids and I are reading it over and over again
Together (Emma Dodd) & I Love you Through and Through (Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak)
When I noticed the effect of meditating with my kids at bedtime I had to share the stories. You might also like The Childrenโs Meditations In my heart. My girls still ask for them weekly – it has been 6 years now. Another major benefit is that teaching your child to fill their hearts with love at bedtime also makes them fall asleep easily. Win win ??
Love this list!
Our favourite, Nancy Tillman got left out.?
Her books are so lovely. We use them every week.
One of our favorite books is “I love you, Stinkyface”. In it, a little boy (stalling bedtime as all kids do) asks his mom what she would do if he was something unpleasant, like a smelly skunk or an alligator or a swamp monster. She then proceeds to tell him all the ways she’d take care of him and how she’d say she loves him. It’s along the lines of the “No matter what” book.
This is a great list. I love Let Me Hold You Longer… my teen boys still love when I read this to them!
The Kissing Hand is really sweet! My kids and I would do the kiss before heading off to school.
We loved this book Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney. Our oldest made a photo book of our family and put the words to this book throughout.
Such lovely experiences Kelly. My year ones love picture books with all the voices too. Thank you.
Fabulous support each time I read your email!